Machine for stuffing and capping cans



March 12, 1929. M. E. BRIGHAM MACHINE FOR STUFFING AND CAPPING CANS Filed May 28, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet March 12 1929. M. E. BRIGHAM MACHINE FOR STUFFING AND CAPPING CANS Filed May 28, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 w/TNESS March 12, 1929. E, H M 1,705,082

.MAQHI'NE FOR STUFFING AND CAPPING CANS Filed May 28, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 I IN v E/V 7 01 Mar/73in EBay/2am,

HTTORNEKS March 12; 1929. M. E BRIGHAM MACHINE FOR STUFFING AND CAPPING CANS Filed May 28, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 N VEN 70F? Manzz'rz E HTTORNEYS Patented Mar. K 12, 19 29.

-* I 1,705,082 A EN ;o F cE;

MARTIN E. IBRIG- HAIVI, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS SIGNMEN'IS, TO JOHN 13. FORD, JR, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN. I

MACHINE FOR STUFFING AND CAIEPING CANS.

Application filed May 28, 1927. Serial No. 195,040,

It is customary to market lye, bleaching powder and other chemicals intended for household use and .thelike in metallic cans comprising a cylindrical body and a perforated top or lid which is permanently secured to the body after the contents are placed in the can, the perforations being temporarily closed by a paper label pasted on the upper side of the lid and adapted to be punctured by the user wlien it is desired to shake or sift out the contents of the can through the perforations. To protect the label from being accidentally punctured in transit or, handling as wellv as to provide means for conveniently closing the can after the label has been punctured and during the intervals between the times when portions of the contents are shaken out, it is usual for the manufacturer to place over that end of the can having the perforated top a peripherally flanged cap of tin or like material which is removably retained on the can by frictional engagement 'of its flange either directly with the wall of the can adjacent the top or, more frequently, with a slight outwardly projecting bead formed adjacent the point of juncture of the top and the end of the can by the crimping of the marginal edge of the top over the end of the can when the top is permanently secured thereon. It is further customary. to dispose between the cap and the top, or rather the outer surface of the paper label which is pasted on the top, a sheet of papergiving directions for use of the contents of the can, this sheet, which is ordinarily of rectangular form and several inches in width andlength,

being compactly folded to a size small enough to enable it to rest on the top and be covered and enclosed by the cap. 1 Thus when the user removes the latter from a new can the folded sheet of directions is exposed to View so it may be readily lifted off, unfolded and read before the label on the permanent top is punctured preparatory to shaking out a portion of the contents of the can. After the desired quantity of the contents has been shaken out-the cap is ordinarily replaced by hand to prevent the remainder of the contents from spilling out or contamination or deterioration through contact with the atmosphere'and is again removed when it is desired to shake out an additional quantity. As the sheet ofdirections when folded to the proper sizeto lie on the can top withoutoverhanging the marv gin thereof is of appreciable thickness, it would to some extent prevent the cap from being forced snugly down on the end of the can if the can top were flush throughout its extent; it is therefore usual to somewhat depress the central part of the top below its marginal edge during its process of manufacture; additionally, this relative depression of the, center of the top is somewhat emphasizedwhenthe margin of thetop is bent up and criinped down over the end of the can when the top is aflixed thereto. Thus a circular depression or recess extending inwardly for an appreciable depth is present throughout substantially the entire area of the top after. its attachment to the can and provides 1 a convenient receptacle for the folded sheet of directions which lies snugly in the recess and thus presents no obstacle to; the proper positioning of the cap upon the end of the can. i i

Hitherto the placing of thefoldedsheet I of directions in the recess, in the top of the can (which his-known in the art as stufling) after the can hasbeen, filled and the top, with ts perforations closed by the paper label,

permanently secured in p0s1tion, as well as the application of the removable cap over the endof the can and. the directions and the forcingiitinto place so it willbe frictionally retained thereon, have been performed entirely by 'handfand. it is the object of the present invention to provide mechanical means for effecting these operations automatically and with great rapidity. .,For the performance of thesecintended functions therefore arrange suitable means andinstrumentalities in corelated and coordinated relation to form an organized machine adapted, among other things, to consecutively feed the filled and sealed cans in a predetermined direction as they arereceived from a magazineor convey oigvto inmove from a suitable magazine a single folded sheetof directions or. other substantially similar articleand apply it to the top of each can as thelatter reaches a predetermined point in its path of travel, to consecutively feed the caps from a magazine. and position a single cap with respectto the path of each can so that the end of the latter while the folded directions. are held against itstop will initially meet and .enter tlie' cap when the latter occiipies an angular position with" respect: to the path of travel of the can wherebythecap through its engagement with the can and as the latterprogress yely moves, forward is caused to move into proper registry with. the can and engage thereon, and to finally press the cap firmly into place and: eject." the capped can.

from the machine, conveniently onto a suitable conveyor by which it may be removed to any point for packing or the like.

While: for accomplishing the foregoing and other operationsv incident or requisite for-thesatisfactory.performance of a machineadapted for carrying out the objects of the present invention any suitable means or instrumentalit'ies may be employed, I have illhstratedinthe accompanying drawings and" will now proceed to describe for the purpose, of enabling those skilled in the utilize mechanical means for the consecutive performance of'ythe several operations requisite or desirable for applying a folded sheet ofpaper or-thelike to an end of a can and thereafter placing acap thereover in such-manner that-it will be firmly but removably retained in position thereon.

1 h the saiddrawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation' of the" machine with the lower portions of the supporting uprights omitted and. Fig; 2 is a top plan View thereof, certain parts being-broken away in both views to better show details of. construction; Fig. 3 i's a materially enlarged fragmentary top planview of the-cap holding'means and. adjacent' parts showing the. position of said means and of the cap held thereby at the moment when the moving can which is to rec'eivethe cap comes-into contact with the latter;- Fig. 45* is a" similar view showing the.

relative position of the cap holding means, cap and can when the latter hasprogressed somewhat from theposition shown in Fig. 1 ,.and Fig. dis a: substantially similar view showing therelation of the parts when the can has progressed still further along its path of' travel; Fig; 6' is a fragmentary section through the end of the can after the cap'has been fully applied thereto, the plane of' the section coinciding with a diameter ofthecan; Fig. 7" is an enlarged transverse vertical-section through the machine on. the line 7 7'in-Figz 2 looking in the direction of the arrows, and Fig; 8 is a fragmentary vertical section on line- 8j8;i in Fig. 1 also looking in-the direction of the arrows. The

same'symbols are used to designate the same 7 parts inthe-several figures.

Generally. speaking, the machine illustrated comprises a top plate supported on suitablev legs. or uprights and a shelf disposed between the uprights at a suitable distance' below the top plate, this shelf being utilized to support an electric motor which may be conveniently employed for driving the machine as well as certain of the gearing by; which the motor-is connected with the parts which it serves to actuate. The top plate is adapted, among other things, to support a pairof laterally spaced rails'along which the-filled cans are caused to travelrat spacediintervals, as they are consecutively'rcceived on the rails, by means of dogs carried by a chain extending etween the rails and running over sprockets disposed beneath and adjacent opposite ends ofthetable. Mechanism isalso provided for'sel'ectively removing from a suitably disposed magazine the folded sheet of directionsor' like article and for-then applying thesame to the topof. the can as the latter in its passage along the rails attains a prede termined' station or position, as well as means for releasing from a suitable conveyor. the cap whichis to lie-applied to thecan, meansforreceiving tliecap from the conveyor when so released andiholding it in a V substantially vertical position in horizontal ahgnment with the can but in angular relationthereto sothat the leading edge or cornor, of the. can as, it. moves progressively forward will firstengage the cap substantially 1n the angle formed between the flange of; the cap and its central part and adjacent that portion of the cap, nearest that end' of the table-toward'which the can 1s moving,

move-the cap Wlll gradually swing inwardly toward the end of the can until 1t registers therewith, the cap holding means being operative during'thismovement of the cap to gradually release it, meansfor-pressingthe 'capinto placeon the end of t-hecan aflterit is brought into such registry and means'for ejecting the can from the machine after the cap has been'so pressed into place. Fun thermore, in orderto guard against and preventthe feeding of both the folded directions and the can caps froin'their respective magazine and conveyor when, for some reason such as an interruption in thesupply of cans, there is no can being brought to a position to receive'them, means are provided for controlling the operation of the direction feeding mechanism and also of thecap feeding mechanism through the medium of the cans themselves as they consecutively pass through the'machine sothat unless a can ls-being moved along the rails by the so that as the can continues to can conveyor toward, the stations at which the directions and thereafter the cap are to be applied to it, the feeding mechanisms Such, in brief, is the general arrangementand operation of the machine which I have chosen to illustrate as a preferred embodiment of my invention and the several means, instriunentalities and mechanisms utilized for accomplishing the various operations'to which reference has just been made in a general way as well as other operations incident or relating thereto will now be described with somewhat greater particularity.

The particular embodiment of the machine which I have chosen to illustrate comprises a horizontally disposed table 1 supported on a frame. 2 which in turn is supported on uprights or legs 3 whose lower ends (not shown) may rest on a floor or other support. This table is provided with a longitudinally extending track along which the cans as they are consecutively received from a-suitableconveyor adjacent one end of the table are positively conveyed until they are ejected from the machine at the other end of the table after the various functions incident to stuffing and capping the cans have been performed, and while thistrack may be arranged in any suitable Way I prefer to provide the table with a longitudinally extending depression which may be slightly offset toward the front edge 5' of the table so it will lie a little nearer that edge than the rear edge 6 thereof and dispose in said depression rails 7, 7' which, as shown in Fig.7, may be spaced apart sufficiently to permit the conveyor chain 8 hereinafter more particularly described to move freely between them. The upper inner corners of these rails may also be respective 1y chamfered out slightly to receive the corners of the conveyor dogs 9 carried by the chain at spaced intervals and which are operative to move the cans along the rails. Paralleling and slightly in rear of the rail .7 is disposed a vertical longitudinally extending guide plate 10 whose height is preferably slightly less than the diameter of the cans; this plate extends uninterruptedly from a point adjacent that end of the table at which the cans are received, and which is the right hand end of the machine when viewed as in Figs. 1 and 2, to a point slight- 1y beyond the article-magazine, generally designated as 11, in whichare disposed the articles which are to be stuffed; the plate is then interrupted for a short distance to provide a sufficient space for the interposipast the centers of the presse tion of the cap holding and applying means and is then in effect continued by a short section 10 interposed between said means and the adjacent presser wheel-18 hereinafter more particularly described, and again in effect continued on; the opposite side of said wheel in a short sectionlO" extending to the edge of the, table, so that the guide plate 10 with its supplemental sections 10,

10 is substantially continuous from oneend of the table to the other save at the gaps formed in it adjacent the cap holding means and the pr'esser wheel. In like manner a complemental guide plate 14; is arranged parallel to and in front of the rail 7 3 this plate may conveniently be made of angle iron and secured in positionon the table by bolts 15 extending through slots 16 .in its horizontal flange, thus enabling the plate to be. adjusted in or out with. respect to the rails to thereby accommodate the machine to cans of different lengths. The plate 1.4: extend uninterruptedly from a point adjacent the end of the table at which the cans are received to a point adjacent the other presser wheel 17, is then interrupted so as to expose the face ofthe wheel and again in effect continued on the opposite side of the wheel by a short section 14 generally corresponding to the section 10 of'g the other rail. It will thus be apparent that as the cans are moved along the track they are restrained from endwise movement, that is, movement in a direction parallel to their central axes by the vertical flanges of the guide plates and thus constrained to move in a definite and straight path. Addition ally, to insure the cans being pressed snugly down upon the rails during that portion of the travel of each can at whichthe several operations incident to stuffing and packin it'are performed, I provide above the path of the cans a longitudinally extending guide bar 20 carried by an overhanging bracket 21 bolted to the table and to which the bar is in turn securedby bolts 22. This bar is disposed about midway between the rails 7, 7' at adistance thereabove somewhat 'ea r than the diameter of the cans and is ar ranged to extend from a point somewhat nearer the can recelvmg end'of the machine than the magazine 11 to a point somewhat wheels 13 and 17. To insure the cans being pressed downwardly on the rails with a firm yet yielding pressure I dispose beneath the bar a strip 23 of spring steel or other substantially similar flexible material and support the same from butm downwardly spaced. relation to the bar by means of a plurality of longitudinally spaced studs 24 whose lower ends are secured to .the strip and whose upper ends extend freely through holes in the bar and are provided with beads .thereabove, and as each of these studs is surrounded by a coil spring 25 betweenthe under faceof the bar and the upper face of the strip the latter is continuously pressed downwardly by the action of the springs to thereby exert a corresponding downward pressure upon the cans as they pass beneath it, it being of course understood that the position of the bar and length of the studs are so determined that the under face of the strip will normally lie at a height above the rail slightlyless than the diameter of the cans so that as the cans pass beneath the strip the latter will be raised slightly against the compression of the springs 25 and thus exert the desired downward yet yielding pressure on the cans. Furthermore, it will be observed that as the strip is flexible and as .it is capable of readily yielding-vertically on account of the manner in which it is supported, the strip can readily accon'iniodate itself to any slight variations in the diameter of the can bodies or inequalities in their respective surfaces.

Can supple ing mechanism.

As stated, the filledcans with their tops or ends secured in place are consecutively fed to the receiving or right hand end of the machine in any convenient way and preferably by means of an inclined conveyor generally designated as 30 and which may be of any suitable construction; thus, for example, the conveyormay be supported on a bracket 81 bolted to the end of the machine and may comprise spaced plates ,32, aligned with the guide plates. 10 and i land between which are positioned tracks 34 for supporting the cans C. Preferably the discharge end of the conveyor extends slightly over the adjacent end of the table and is disposed somewhat thereabove so that as the cans pass out of the conveyor they will drop down on the subjaccnt ends of the rails 7, 7. To prevent the cans from rolling along on the rails as they pass thereonto from the conveyor and also to hold the leadin can in proper position to receive the conveyor dog which is to move it along the rails in its passage through the machine, a gate 35 may be pivoted to the forward end of the conveyor as by a pivot bolt 36 for movement in a vertical plane and a pair of springs 37 connected with the gate and some suitable fixed point in such manner as to pull the gate downwardly so as to interpose the lower end of an apron 38 extending transversely across the gate into thepath of the cans and thus hold the leading can C" adjacent the end of the conveyor as clearly shown in Fig. 1 until it is engaged by the conveyor dog and thereafter positively moved toward the discharge end of the machine, thus raising the gate against the pull of the springs 37 and permitting the can to pass thereunder. As soon as the loading can is thus cleared beneath the gate the nextcan moves forwardly and downwardly from the conveyor to a position beneath the gate and remains there until it, in turn, is engaged by the next conveyor dog and thereby carried past the gate. If desired, a flat downwardly curved overhanging spring 39 may be arranged above the end of the conveyor and supported on a bracket 4:0 secured thereto in such manner that its free encl'will extend beneath the gate and engage the leading can to assist in holding the latter in proper position beneath the gate for engagement by the approaching conveyor dog.

Gan conveying mechanism.

The conveyor dogs towhicn reference has been made are arranged at properly spaced intervals on the conveyor chain 8 which passes around sprockets 4:3, 4:4: respectively mounted on shafts 45, 46 extending transversely beneath the table adjacent opposite ends of the machine and suitably journaled in brackets 5 .7, 48 carried by the adjacent supporting legs, the dogs, as best shown in Fig. 7, being preferably of generally rectangular shape and of suitable width and height to readily move between the guide plates 10 and let and to engage'th'e cans. The shaft 46 is positively driven through the medium of a gear 49 mounted on the end of the shaft, conveniently at a point outside the line of the table, and meshing with a pinion 5O ona shaft 51 journaled in a casing of suitable form and generally designated as 52 which is supported on a shelf 52 disposed beneath the main table 1 and secured to the legs Within this casing and also mounted on the shaft 51 is a worm gear 53 cooperative with a worm 53 on a longitudinally extending drive shaft 5st also jou-rnaled in the casing and which may, exteriorly of the casing, be provided with a hand wheel 55 and extended to a motor 56 also supported on the shelf and which is operative to supply the power fordrivin'g the machine. Thus, when the motor revolves the shaft 54 and worm 53, shaft 51 is driven through the medium of the worm gear 53 in turn rotating pinion 50 to drive shaft 46 and sprocket a l in the direction indicated by the arrow upon said sprocket in Fig. 1, thus positively causing movement of the chain 8 in the direction of the arrow disposed adjacent the chain in the said figure and revolving sprocket 4&3 and idler shaft 45 upon which itis mounted. It will thus be apparent that whenever current is supplied to the motor rotation of shaft 51 and positive movement 2 of' chain 8 will be effected so that the conveyor dogs 9 carried by the chain will be consecutively moved beneath the gate 35 to engage the cans as they are fed behind the gate fromthe conveyor 30 and to thereafter 'move them at. predetermined. spaced intervals along therails 7, 7.

r-lrticZe feeding and stripping mew/1K5.

"of the cans along the rails 7 7 The lower.

or forward end of the magazine terminates closely adjacent the outer face of the guide plate 10 and from this point preferably extends horizontally toward the rear edge 6 of the table and is then carried upwardly in an easy curve to a substantially vertical position so that as the articles are placed in the upper end of the magazine they will readily feed downwardly in the same; preferably the natural tendency of the articles to feed down by gravity may be supplemented by a weight or other suitable follower (not shown) which is placed on" the.

upper end of the stack and is slidable in the magazine soas to insure the leading article being constantly pressed against the outer face of the guide plate 10 which forms a stop therefor.

For removing or stripping the leading article from the stack in the magazine and carrying it in properly timed relation with the movement of the can to the point or station at which it is applied'to the end of the can, suitable means are provided which preferably comprise a vertically disposed, horizontally movable stripper 60 secured to the end of a horizontally disposed slide 61 which extends parallel to the guide plate 10 and lies a short distance outside thereof,the slide being supported and freely slidable in brackets (32,- 63 secured to the table. The reciprocation of this slide is effected through the medium of a bell crank 65 pivoted for vertical. movement on a pivot 66 carried by a bracket (37 secured to the shelf 52'. One arm of this bell crank extends to a point adjacent the-slide where it is provided with.

a slot 68 for the receptionof a pin or block (39 carried by the slide; the other arm of the crank extends from the pivot generally in the direction of the discharge end of the machine and is connected to one end of a spring 70 the other end of which may be connected to a lug 71 carried by one of the uprights 3, the arrange .ient being such that the spring constantly tends to pull the adjacent crank arm downwardly and thus move the slotted arm of the crank toward the discharge end of the machine to thereby effect a correspondlng movementof the shde.

Cam actuated-mechanism is also provided for positively moving the crank 65 in a direction oppositeto thatin which. the spring'ZO tends to turn it, said mechanism comprising a rod 72 securedat-one end to the slotted end of the crank 65 through the medium of a clevis 73 and carrying at its other .end a fork 74- provided with a cam roll 7 posed on shaft 51 and rotatable therewith. \Vit hin the opening of the fork 74 is disposeda block..77 loosely mounted on the shaft- 51, the function of the blockbeing merely to afford vertical support to the fork \vhile-pernntting it to slide horizontally toand fro in accordance'with the movements 5 cooperative with a cam 76 disof the cam toward which the foam roll i is constantly urged by the spring 70 to thus cause the roll to follow the cam save when the crank 65'and slide 61 are held in retracted'or locked position as shown in Fig. 1 by means and for a purpose hereinafter described. I,

The stripper 60 is arranged to rest against and slide along the outer face of the guide plate 10 and to this end the stripper isprovided with a block-like base 7 9 which may be suitably offset toward the guide plate. This base comprises .a recess for the reception of the endof the slide and the parts are secured together by a vertically extench ing pivot pin in such manner that the base and stripper may oscillate together about the pin. To insure the leading end or toe of the stripper being continuously pressed towardthe guide plate, the base may be provided with an arm 81 extending pa'rallelto the slide and in the opposite direction from the base to that in which the stripper extends, anda coil spring 82 is positioned between the end of the arm and the slide. Furthermore, to enable the .toe of the stripper to strip the leading articlc A from the magazine and then carry it toward'the discharge end of the machine, the toe of the stripper is made very thin and slightly outwardly offset from the face of the guide plate, thus providinga recess 83 in which the article is received after it 1S stripped from the pack in the magazine.

end extending into the path of the can, the

stripper being provided with a slot 85 in alignment with the spring and of sufficient width to allow the spring to pass there through when the stripper is brought tov alignment therewith.

( ap supplying, feeding and holding means.

spaced side rails 87 and, preferably, a bottom 88 so arranged that the caps X will. freely pass along the conveyor by gravity, the lower end of the conveyor which overhangs the table, and which is substantially the only part thereof shown in the drawings, extending vertically. The passage of the caps through the conveyor is controlled by a dog 89 mounted on a shaft 90 extending across the face of the conveyor and of such character that when itis in normal position a toe 89 provided at the lower end'of the dog will engage beneath the rim of the lowest or leading cap and support it vertically so as to prevent it from falling into the general plane in which. the cans are traveli-ng through the machine. The shaft 90: also carries an arm 91 which is operative when raised by mechanism hereinafter described to rotate the shaftand thus withdraw the toe 89" from beneath the rim of the cap so as to let the latter fall into the plane of the cans. y

hen so released the leading cap, closing nated as X is received. in the cap holding means now to be described and which are best illustrated in Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive, said means comprising a shoe pivoted adjacent one end, on a vertical pivot 101 secured to the table, so as to swing horizontally, the

opposite or free end of the shoe being arranged to normally project somewhat into the path of the cans-in a slightly angularly inwardly inclined direction with respect thereto as shown in Fig. 8. To a suitably disposed lug on the back of this end oft-he shoe is pivotally secured, as by a pivot 102,

a head 103 carrying a push rod 104: which is surrounded by a COll spring 105 disposed between the head and a stop plate 106 socured to the table and through which the rod loosely extends, the outer end of the rod being threaded and provided with adjust aiblle nuts 107 adapted to abut against the stop plate and so limit the inward movement stop while, as soon as the pressure on the face ofthe-shoe 1s relleved, the spring is effective to immediately return the shoe to normal position as shown in Fi 3.

T-he'shoe is provided. with means for receiving and holding the caps as they are consecutively released from the cap conveyor, sa-1d means comprising :a stationary dog 110 secured to that end of the shoe adyacent the pivot l101iand having-an inwardly overhanging toe 110" and a movable dog 111 which is pivoted to a lung 112' on the back of the shoe and extends "through a slot 113 formed in the latter, the extremity of this dog which projects beyond the fa-rte 100 of the shoe being also provided with an inwardly turned toe, '111 ',uthe two dogs and their respective toes when in normal position shown in Fig. beingadapted to receive a cap whendropped vertically between them and-to holdit in upright position against the shoe as illustrated in said figure (in which the cap X is shown in central horizontal section) by engagement of their respective' toes :over the edge of the cap rim substantially at opposite ends of the -hori-, zon ta l diameter of the cap. The :dog 111 is extended 'rearwardly somewhat :beyond its pivot 11 1 :and :a spring 7115 connected between this part of thedog and a pin 116 or other point relatively stationary with respect tOlillGShDG in :such manner that the spring I will constantly tend to pull the dog vto normal positron so as to dlspose it to receive :and hold a cap. An adjusting screw 11? vmay be arranged on the shoe in such manner that its point will contact with. the dog to :adjustalbly limit the distance through which the dog can be turned inwardly by the spring 115; by means of this screw very lexact adjustment of the normalzposition uof thedog can be obtained and the dog thus properly disposed to receive :and hold the caps.

It will of course be understood that the lower end of the cap conveyor '86 is disposed abovcand slightly spaced from the shoe 100 so that the latter can treely swing beneath the-conveyor; iadditionally as the shoe when in position to receive a cap from the conveyor occupies an angular position with respect to'the path of the'cans, the lower end of the conveyor is also correspondingly angu la-rly disposed so that-[the caps when .re- 'leased from the conveyor will readily pass to and be received by the subjacent, dogs 110 :and 111 off the cap holding means and will 1 then occupy a position in which the 'body or central par-t ot the cap forms an angle of about 80 with the path-of travel of the cans. This angle, however, is capable of considerable variation although good results are obtained when it approximates the number of degrees stated.

0a seating means.

For finally pressing or seating the caps on the cans after they have been disposed over the ends thereof as hereinafter described, I provide the complementary presser wheels 13 and 17between the shoe 100 and-the discharge end of the table, these wheels being respectively disposed on opposite sides of the path of travel of the cans and adjustably' arranged to extend slightly thereinto. \Vheel 13 is mounted on a short vertically extending shaft 120 for horizontal rotation and has a plane face of approximatelythe diameter of the cans, and the opposite wheel 17 is preferably similar thereto "and similarly mounted on a-correspondingshaft 121. Shaft 120 below the wheel is journaled in a block 122 slidable transversely of the table in a slot 123, the block having an overhanging flange on each side which engages the surface of the table so as to afford vertical support to the block. At the lower end of the shaft beneath the block a bevel gear 12 1 is secured to the shaft and cooperates with a:complementarygear 125 mounted on shaft 46 and rotatable therewith but longitudi= nally slidable thereon, the connection between this gear and the shaft being effected by key 126. The hub of gear 125 is provided with an annular groove '12? into which depends a yoke 128 conveniently formed integral'with block 122 so that as the block is moved in the slot, gear 125 will be correspondingly moved along its shaft and the proper engagement maintained between the two gears 124 and 125 so that rotation of shaft 120 and wheel 113 will be effected irrespective of the position of block 122. For yieldingly urging the block and wheel inwardly toward the path of the cans a relatively heavy coil spring 129 is disposed between theblock and the outer end of the slot; when a can enters between the wheels this spring is compressed to permit wheel 13 to move outwardly and allow .the can to pass. y.

The mounting and drive of the other presser wheel 17. is effected in a substantially similar manner, the shaft 121 being journaled in a block 130 slidable in a trans versely extending slot 131 and having a preferably integral depending yoke 132 cooperative with a groove 133 in the hub key 135 so as to rotate therewith although slidable thereon, this gear being in meshing engagement with a complementary gear 136 disposed on the lower end of the shaft 121. Instead, however, of providing a springfor urging the block inwardly, I preferably extend anadjustable stop screw 137 through the frame to abut 7 against the block and limit its outward movement, conveniently I provide the screw with a groove near its end and the block with a depending yoke 138 cooperative therewith so that movement of the screw in either direction will effect corresponding movement of the block.

It will thus be apparent that both of the presser wheels are constantly and positively driven in opposite directions as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2 whenever power is supafter positioned thereover. the possibilityof-articles being stripped plied to motor 56 in such manner that asthe cans are moved between thewheels the latter will exert a yielding endwise pressure on the cans so as to seat the caps firmly on. the ends of the cans, and furthermore that the space between the wheels may be in creased. or decreased by suitable adjustment of the stop screw 13'? so as to vary the pressure so exerted as may be found desirable Locking and releasing mechanism for strip.-

par and cap jeeclmg means. From the foregoing description of the machine it" w-illbe observed. that the motion of theconveyor chain 8 is continuous so long as power is supplied to the motor 56 and 1rrespective of whether cans are being supplied to the machine from the conveyor 30. Under practical conditions ofoperation it frequently happens that for some reason there is a temporary interruption in the can slip ply and it is thus desirable to so arrange the article stripping .means and the means by which the caps are fed or released from the .rap conveyor that both of said means will remain inoperative except when a can is approaching the station at which the article is to beappliedto its end and the cap there- This obviates from the article magazine and caps being fed to the cap holding means when no cans are passing through the machine, thereby avoiding possible clogging and damage to the machine as well as a' waste of the articles and caps. To this end therefore mechanism of a bevel' gear 134 keyed to shaft 46 by. a x

is provided for maintaining the stripping means inoperative to strip an article from the magazine and'the cap feedingmeans inoperative to release a cap from the cap conveyor until a can reaches a predetermined POSltIOH 1n the pathalong which the cans are designed to travel, the can upon the attainment of such position being then itself effective to release for operation both the cap feeding and article stripping means desirably in the manner and by the mechanism' now to be described.

p Disposed above the pathof the cans is a lever is provided with .a downwardly vdepending lug carrying a 'roll 14d which normally depends into the path of the cans so it will be engaged by each can, as .it is carried along by the conveyor, upon attainment of a predetermined position. At a suitable distance above the roll the lever is provided with a substantially horizontally extending arm or plate 145 which project-s beneath :the arm 91 carried by shaft 90 on which thecap releasing dogis mounted, and the arm 91 is provided with an adjustable stud 146 adapted for engagement .by :the plate 145 when the latter .is suflieiently elevated. Thus, after a can is'once vmoved by the can conveyor into engagementwith roll 14% further movement of thecan toward the discharge end of the machine is effective .to raise lever 1 10 till it engages studllG and to then, through such engagement, raise arm 91 to rotate the shaft 90 and swing the cap releasing dog to a position in which the toe 89' at its lower end 'is disengaged from the rim of the leading cap to permit the latter to drop to the cap holding means. Preferably the upper-end of the dog ;is alsoprovided with atoe 89 which effective whenthe lower end of the dog is swung outward as just described to enter beneath. the upper :part of the rim of the following cap and thus hold it suspended until'thearm 91 is released from raised position. As soonas this=oceurs the upper end of the dog swings out from beneath the rim of the 'fo'llowingcap to allow it to start to fall while the lower toe of the dog swings in so .as to catch .under the rim of the falling cap and arrest it-sanction before it entirely clears the dog, thus suspending it in position to pass to the cap holding-ineans as soon as the lower end of the d again swungout of the way. For

properly adjusting the height of the roll 144: with respect to the cans so the desired engagement of the rollwill be edected, an adjusting screw 147 may be arranged in thebraclret 142 so as to engagea lug or stop member provided on lever 1 10 on the opposite side of pivot 141 and thus limit the downward movement ofthe free end of the lever.

The locking and releasing means for the stripper mechanism may comprise a lever 150 pivotally mounted near its center on,

the pivot 141 and carrying at its end nearest the discharge end of the machine an no wardly extending stud 151 passing loosely through the plate 1'45 and provided with adjusting nuts 152 above the plate in such manner that when lever 140 is raised plate 14:) will engage the nuts, preferably slightly after it engages stud 146, following which further movementof lever 140 is effective to raise the adjacent end of lever 150 and a-slot in which is slidably disposed a =bloc-k 153 carried"by a locking slidellb l which-is vertically slidably in :a housing, generally designated as 155; this housingis'bolted to thetable of the machine in such position as to bring the face of the locking slide15-l adjacent the slide 61. provided with a lag. 156 disposed beneath slide '61 and provided *ith an inclined up.- per surface iada-pted to engage in a notch 157 formed in the lower face of slide '61 in such manner that when the lag is so'engaged in the :notch, slide 61 w'll be positively held inretracted position as shown in Fig. 1. 'The locking slide 154 is provioed with a min 158 which extends througha slot 159 inthe-locking slide housing 155 and to which is attached one end of .aspring 160, the other end :of which is attached to a spin 1'I6'1carried by'the housing. This spring is always in a state of tension with the result that it continuously tends to pull the lockingzslide vertically upward to cause lug 1'56 :to enter notch 157 in slide 61 whenever the notch is :aligned therewith so as to'lock the slide, the lug at other times merely riding 'on the under face of slide 61 as thelatter reciprocates. Under these conditions it will be obvious that wihen the end'oflever 5150 carryingstud r151 is sufiicicntly elevated the lockings'lide will be correspondingly depressed so :as to disengage lug 156 from the notch I57 and permit slide 61 to move from retracted position, :and thus correspondingly move the stripper-across the end of magazine 11.

Operation.

While it is believedthe operation :of the machine, when constructed substantially as described, will be readily comprehended. from the foregoing, for convenience brief reference may now be "made thereto as follows:

Preferably before the machine is set in operation one or more of the filled cans with their tops or lids L permanently securedrin place, conveniently by crimping the edge of each lid over the open end of the 'can body as shown in Fig. 6, are placed in the conveyor 30; if desired and as is usual the tops of the-cans may, asshown in-said figure,'be:provided with a plurality of perforations .P temporarily closed by a label Y pasted over the major part of the lid. Also, a :number ofthe sheetsofdirections A which are to'be stuffed beneath the can caps having been suitably folded to proper size preferably by means of a suitable folding machine, are inserted in the magazine 11 in sucha way that the smooth edges or folds made along the lines where each sheet is doubled over on itself are disposed uppermost and also toward the side of the magazine adjacent thestripper; :thus each folded sheet presents but asingleedgqor foldtoward the stripper The locking slide .is r

followingsheet. Moreover, the single fold" or edgepresented to tliestripper when the sheets are disposed just described is readily engageable bythe. shoulder formed at the base of the stripper toe, thus enabling the stripperto positively carry the folded sheet to the point where it is to be applied to the can as shown in Fig. A supply of can caps is also placed in the conveyor 86, each cap being of'course turned so that its rim is directed toward the front of the conveyor, In Figs. 1 and 2 live cans designated as C U, C and C are shown as simultaneously and consecutively passingthrough the machine from the conveyor 30 to the point at which the cans are CliSCl1211':(d at the opposite end of the table, this being the normal condition when the machine is in operation andv cans are being continuously supplied from the conveyor 80. However, to facilitate description of the operation of the machine, it will be more convenient to merely trace the passage of the can C? alone through the machine without detailed reference to theother cans shown in advance of it in said figures and to thus assume that the can C consecutively occupies the positions of the cans C C C and C as it passes along the rails 7, 7. i i 1 Power being new supplied to the machine to set in motion the conveyor, chain and other parts driven fron'i the motor 56, the stripper slide 61 being, locked in retracted position and a cap X.vbeingsuspended in the conveyor on the toe 89 of the dog 89 with a supply of other caps in rear thereof, we will assume that the canC: has moved by gravity from the conveyor and is resting on the rails 7, 7 beneath the gate 5-35 as shown in said figure, the other following cans C in he, conveyor being restrained from .movement by engagement of the leadin can C with (1 It will be noted that under these conditions one of the dogs 9 carried by the conveyor chain is moving toward C and as soon asthe'latler. is engaged by this dog its positivev movement along "the rails. and thri'zugh the machine isinitiated. The first result of this movement is to lift the gate so as to allow C to escapefroin' beneath it amt as soon as this occurs the following can C can pass down onto the rails inposition to be engaged in due course by the next dog on the chain and by. it be carried through their redone. g y l As it is urged ahead by the. dog which.

has engaged it, can C now passesalong the rails as indicated at C until it reaches the position (l at which it comes into contact with roll 1&4- to thereby raise, during its further movei'nent, lever 140 which, in the manner hitherto described, first moves dog 89 so as to release cap X? and permit it to fall into the cap holding means between dogs 110 and 111 as shown in Fig. 3. The further upward movement of the lever 140 induced by the further lifting of roll 144tby the moving can then operates to depress the slotted end of lever 150, thus releasing slide 61 which, under the influence of spring 70011 crank 65, moves stripper across the end of the magazinell to strip the leading folded sheet or oth or article Afr-om the pack in the magazine and carry it to a position substantially in front of cap X now seated in the cap holdiiiig means. Meanwhile can C has also been moving toward the cap and arrives substantially in. theposition shown in Fig. 8 in time to meet the sheet of directions as the latter is pressed inwardly toward the end of the can by the spring 84 working th rough the slot in thestripper and thereby applied to the end of the can and hcld by the swing in position thereon It will be noted that when the several parts are in sub stantially the positions shownin Fig. 3, the

leading edge or corner of the can is just coming into engagement with the cap substantially in the angle formed between the main portion and the flange or rim of the latter, and as, the movement of the can continues from this position, the 'shoelOO is gradually swung about its pivot 101 out of the way of the can and the dog 111 similarly swung about its pivot 114 against the tension of spring 115, the dog thus having a relative .movement with respectto the shoe while the latter is swinging about its ownfpivot. As the result of these severalcombined move- 1,, l I .lllOIlb-a including that otthe can, the cap is gradually swung into alignment with vthe can, therelative position of the parts when the cap is approaching that condition being shown in Fig. 4 in ,whichit will be noted tliat spring'S l is just on the point oi 'passing out from under the cap as the latter is approaching full registry with the can and thus becoming operative to hold the sheet of.

directions (mother article in placoon the end of the can and prevent it from. falling out or being otherwisedisplaced after it is finally released by the spring, I

As the can moves st ll further, along its path of travel, the cap is progressively pressedstill. further into placeon the can by shoe under the influehce ofspring which exerts a, considerable pressure on the :noe and in turn on the cap,:so that, as the can and cap finally clear the shoe after passing through the-position sh wn in Fig. 5,

the cap 'fiilly and f aligned and substantially corresponds with that shown in Fig. 5.

Upon leaving the shoe, thecan next passes between the presser wheels 18 and '17 which, through the powerful endwiseyielding pressure which they are capable of exerting upon thecan and cap force thelatter down 7 over the end of the can into final position I as shown in Fig. 6 so that the cap Wlll thereafter frietionally adhere to the can until intentionally removed therefrom. After the can, with its cap thus firmly disposed in position. passes from between the p'resser wheels it is -arried by the coi'iveyor dog sufficiently far to clear the table of the machine and pass to the inclined traclc'l or othed device intended to receive it and by which it is conveycdto the packingrooni for packing and shipment.

It will of eourse be appreciated. that at all times during the operation of the machine theshaft 51-is rotating and with it the cam 75., This cam'is so designed and set with relation to the operation of the striper that after the latter has brought the folded sheet from the magazine to thepeint where it is to be applied to the can and has held it there until the spring S t becoi'nes operative to in turn hold 'it on the can, the cam w'll then engage the cam roll. 75 and force crank 65 to retracted position, thus returning the stripper to its normal or initial position as shown in Fig. l. The moment slide 61 is retracted in the manner just explained, the lug on the locking slide rotation of cam 76, thostripper mechanism is restrained from operative movement unless it is released by the passage of a can beneath roll 144- so that said mechanism is ineffective to remove any articles from magazine 11 savewhen a can isapproaching to receive them. In like manner dog' 89 can only operate to permit acap to fall to the cap holding means when said dog is actuated by the passage of a can beneath roll llt.

In consequence, should any interruption occur in the supply of cans to the conveyor 30 or should one ormore of theconveyor dogs fail to pickup a can and carry it through the machine, no articles are supplied from the magazine or caps fed to the cap holding means until the flow'of cans s again established beneath theroll 144-; thus avoiding any waste of articles and caps and also possible clogging or damage to the machine which might otherwise occur if the stripping means and cap feeding means were so designed that they would operate synchronously with the movement of the several dogs irrespective of whether each dog was or was not carrying a can through the machine.

In passing it may be noted that the provision of the hand wheel 55 on shaft 54 is. of utility in enabling proper {MlJHSilHlGllt ofthe various parts of the machine when required, as bymcans of it the machine may be slowly turned over by hand so that the operation of the various elements can be against the ends of sealed cans and then applying flanged caps thereover, I do not thereby desire or intend to limit myself to the employment of the invention solely for that purpose asthe invention may be readily adapted for the performanceof analogens operations on other articles of a. more or less similarnature and such adaptation 'andemployment is entirely within the scope and contemplation of the invention; nor do I desire or intend to confine myself in any manner to any precise arrangement of parts or specific forms of means for accomplishing the objects and functions of the invention as any suitable means other than those to which I have referred may be utilized therefor if desired without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention,' I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States: 7 V

l. A machine for stuiling and capping cans comprising means for conveying a can in a predetermined path means for holding the articles to be stuffed, means operative to remove one of said articles from said holding means and convey it to the endof the can, means adaptedto hold. a cap in 'a position to partially project into the'path oftravel of the can, means for feeding a cap to. said cap positioning means, and means for pressing said cap onto the can and over said article after the movement of the can has cleared said cap from the'cap holding means,

2.- A machine as specified in claim 1 in which the can is operative on, arrival at a predetermined point in its path of travel to release for actuation the means operative to remove fromsaid art1cle holding means and convey to'the end of the can the article to be stuffed. a

A machine as specified in' claim 1 in which the can is operative on arrival at a predetermined point in its path of travel to:

substantially simultaneously therewith to actuate the means for feeding the cap to the cap positioning means. j

5. A ,machine for stuffing and capping cans comprising means-forconveying the cans consecutively at spaced intervals in a predetermined path, means for holding the articles tobe stuffed substantially parallel to the ends of the cans, meansoperative to convey one of said articles from said holding means to the end of each can as each can reaches a predetermined station and means forpositioning acap adjacent and vpartially within the path of travel of each can at a point beyond said station whereby said cap will'be engaged by the can after it has re ceived said article and thereafter released from said positioning means by the continued movement of the can.

6. A machine as specified in claim '5 'hav' ing means preventing said article conveying means for removing an article from said holder'untilfa can is, brought to a predetermined position by said can conveying.

IHGELIIS.

I 7. A machine as specified in claim 5 hav ing' means for feeding a cap to said cap positioning means andnmeans for maintaining said cap feeding means inoperative to feed the cap until a can is brought toa predetermined position by said can conveying means. i a

8. A machine for 'stufiing and capping cans comprising means for conveying the cans consecutively at spaced intervals in a predetermined path, means for holdingthe articles to be stuffed. substantially parallel to the ends of the cans, means operative to convey one of said articles from said holding means to the end of each can as each can reaches a predetermined station, means.

for positioning acap adjacent and partially within the path of travel of each canat a point beyond said station whereby said cap will be engaged by the can after it'has re:- ceived said article and thereafter released from said positioning means by the continued movement of the can, and means for pressing the cap onto the. can after it isso released. g F

9. A machine for stufling and capping cans comprising a conveyor adapted to. positivelyniove the cans consecutively at spaced intervals along a predetermined path, a

magazine for holding a pluralitycf the ar- 'ticles to be stuffed with the leading flIlJlClG insubstantial parallelism to the end of the cans, means actuated byeach can "as it reaches a predetermined station in its path of travel operative to removethe leading article from said magazine and carry it in the directionin which the can ismoving, means for pressing said article against the end of the can when it reaches .a predetermined point, a cap conveyor, means for 'consecutively releasing caps from. said conveyor, means actuated by each can when it reaches a predetermined point in its travel for operating said releasing meansto release a cap, means for receiving'the cap from the conveyor and holding it partially in the path of m ovement of the can and-at an angle thereto wherebythe can after. engaging the cap is operative to swiing the cap into reg istry with the endof the can and efi'ectthe release of the cap from the cap holding means. a

10. A machine as specified in claim 9 in which the can during its movement is operative to first actuate. the cap releasing means and to then actuate in predetermined timed relation therewith the=means for-removing the article from the article magazine. 7 I

11. A machine of the class described,-coi nprising a conveyor adapted to move a canin a predetermined path, a magazine arranged adjacent said pathand adaptedto contain articles to be applied to the end of the can, a movable, stripper adapted to strip an article from the magazine and move itto a point adjacent the end of the can while the can is being moved by the conveyor; means for positioning a can cap in position to be engaged and carried along by the can after said article has been applied to the end the cap after it has registered with the' can,

and means for pressingthe cap onto the can after said registry has been effected 12. A machine as specified in claim ,11

in which said stripper is arranged for reciprocation. past theend of the magazine and embodying means operative to hold the stripper in apre'determined position until a can is brought by the conveyor to a predetermined station in the path of travel of the cans.

which said cap positioning means comprise a shoe arrangedy'to swing horizontally and normally arranged toangularly project into the path of the can, an'dmeans carried by said'shoe and relatively movable with res 14; ,A' machine 'as'specified in claim 11: in.

V 13. A inachinejas specified in claim 11. in'

whichthe cap positioning means comprise a shoe pivoted for movement-into and out of the path of'the cans, yielding means nor:

mally operative to maintain said shoe in said path, and means carried by the shoe position in which the face of the shoe projects angularly into the path of the can to a position in which said face is substantially parallel with but clear of said path, yielding means normally operative to maintain said shoe in said path and means carried by the shoe for receiving and holding a can cap in 7 position to be engagedby a can as it moves longitudinally of the shoe along said path, said shoe being adapted to gradually swing out of the path of the can after the latter has engaged the cap andto press said cap onto the end of the can during said swinging movement, said cap holding means being also adapted to release the cap during the swinging movement of the shoe.

16. A machine as specified in claim 11 in which the means for pressing the cap onto the can after the cap has been registered therewith comprise a. pair of wheels respectively disposed on opposite sides of the path of the can and adapted to project slightly thereinto means for positivelydriving both of said wheels in opposite directions, means for positively positioning one of said wheels-with respect to the path of the, can, and yielding means operative to permit the other of said wheels to move transversely of said path as a can is carried between them. i

'17. A machine of the cl assdescribed; comprising a conveyor adapted to movea can in a predetermined horizontal path, a maga zine arranged adjacent said path and adapted to contain articles to be consecutively applied to the cans as they are carried consecutively through the machine by the conveyor, a reciprocatory stripper adapted to strip one of said articles from the magazine and move it to a point adjacent'the end of each can as the latter reaches a pre determined point in itspath of movement,

spring actuated means voperative to move the stripper in. the oppositedirecticn and means for lockingsaid stripper in opposition to the urge of said yielding means until a can is brought to the conveyor to a predetermined position in the path of travel of the cans.

. 18. A machine as specified in claim 17 and comprising means interposed inthe path of the cans operative when actuated by the movementof a can to release said stripper locking means.

19. The method of stufling and capping cans which comprises the steps of moving the canrin a straight "predetermined path, applying an article to the end of the'can, then causing the can while the article is held in place against the end thereof to move into engagement with a flanged cap while the latter is maintained in angular relation'with the axis of the can to thereby cause the cor ner of the can adjacent-the point of connection olthe lid and the"bodylhereof to enthe cap substantially in the angle formed between the body of the cap and its flange and then causing 'l'urther movement oi. the can to thereby swing the lid into registry with the end of the can over the article disposed against the end thereof.

20.;The method of stalling and capping cans which comprises the steps of moving the can horizontally in a straight predetermined path, applying an article to the end of the can without arresting its movement,,and then causing the can while'said article is held in place against the end thereof to move into engagement with a flanged cap while the latter is held in vertical position in angnlarrelation to the path of movement of the can to thereby cause the corner of the tan'adj acent the point of connection between the'end and body thereof to engage the cap substantially in the angle formed between the body of the cap and its flange whereby the continued movement of the can is elfective to swing the cap from said angular position into registry with the end of the can. I v 21. The method of stuffing and capping termined path applying anarticle to the end of the can without arresting its move ment, then causing the can-while said article is held in place against theend thereof to move into engagement with a flanged cap while the latter is held in vertical position in angular relation to the path of movement of the canto thereby cause the corner of the can. adjacent'the point OfCOIlIlGCiilOIl between the end and body thereof to engage the cap substantially in the angle formed between the body of the cap and its flange whereby the continued movement of, the can is efiective to swing the cap' from said angular position into registry with the end of the can and then pressing the cap into place on the end of the can by applying pressure to the can'inan endwise direction.

22. The method of stufiing and capping cans which comprises the steps of consecutively moving the cans at spaced intervals in a horizontal direction along a predate canswhich comprises the'steps of moving the can horizontally in a straight predemined path, applying to the end of each can as it reaches a predetermined station one of the. articles to be stuffed, then, while holding said article against the end of the can, causing the latter to enter a flanged cap while the cap is held in a position to partially extend into the path of the can to cause the moving can to swing the cap into registry with the end of the can, and then exerting pressure on the cap to seat it on the end of the can over said article.

23. The method of stufiing and capping cans which comprises thev steps of efiecting progressive continuous movement of the can along a. predetermined path, applying an article to the end oi the'can upon its arrival at a given point in said path, then, while holding the article'against the end of the can, causing the can to engage a flanged cap disposed in angular relation with the -path of the can and partially projecting -thereinto in such manner that the further I movement or the can will move said cap into registry with the end of the can and over said article, and then applying endwise pressure to the cap to seat it on the end of the can.

cans which comprises the steps of effecting progressive uninterrupted movement of the cans at spaced intervals along a predetermined path, moving an article against the end of each can when it reaches a predetermined point in such path, consecutively disposing flanged caps in position to partially project into said path for respective engagement by each can after the application of said article thereto, and "then applyingrpressure to each capto seat iton the end of the can. I p

In witness whereof, I havehereunto set my hand this 26th day of May, 1927.

MARTIN E. 'BRIGHAM.

24. The method of stuffing and capping 

